AEDC Fire Department joins community first responders to conduct mutual aid exercise training

  • Published
  • By Philip Lorenz III
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  When the Hillsboro Volunteer Fire Department recently hosted the 2nd Annual Multi-County Live Burn Weekend at the Hillsboro Park, firefighters had a busy day.

"The event brought more than 100 firefighters from every surrounding city and county to train in Putnam County's mobile live fire trainer," said Daryle Lopes, AEDC fire chief. "Experience levels ranged from rookies to long time veterans."

The event was a combined training session where 102 firefighters from 18 departments across five counties refreshed their memory and honed their skills.

"AEDC's contribution included teaching fire attack in the live burn trailer, teaching automobile extrication techniques at the Hillsboro Fire Hall and supporting Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) air re-supply with our Bauer mobile air compressor," Lopes said.

Community fire departments spent most of the day going to various training stations, including a structural fire simulator brought in from Putnam County Fire Department, vehicle extrication, vertical ventilation tactics, hazardous materials fundamentals taught by Coffee County EMA Director Allen Lendley, firefighter survival, and a ropes and knots station where instructors taught the fundamentals of rope rescue.

With the goal of enhancing working relationships with all of the participating departments, firefighters were divided into groups that brought members of multiple departments together to share their skills and experiences with the other members on their team.

Participating counties included Cannon, Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Putnam and Warren.

"Whether we're teaching basic techniques to new recruits or advanced subjects like rope rescue, you just can't put a value on this kind of training and cooperation between fire departments." Lopes said. "It's where we learn to be safe and sharpen the skills that will soon be called upon to save a life or help someone in distress."

Lopes added, "It takes a lot of planning, sacrifice and hard work to train so many fire fighters. I'm extremely proud of all the counties who planned and supported the program and I could not be more proud of the contributions our AEDC fire fighters made."